cull the herd

learning about heaven and its corruption could easily take 1-3 arcs.

we still know close to nothing about the iki family and their abilities. why they all have a sort of spiritual sense, or why hiyori could see into yato’s dream/memories. iki family arc, anyone?

father’s backstory and the freckled woman will be explored, even if by some stretch he ‘dies’ this arc. the extent of his powers, their source, etc.

hell, exploring amaterasu herself could take an entire arc. why was she so sure yato’s true name would make him happy, why was she so different during their second encounter? does it have to do with heaven’s corruption?

Father was silent for a second more. This is exactly why I avoid naming shinki… All this emotional baggage, he thought.

“Of course I saw them. Revert, Reiki.” Father walked around to the foot of Kouto’s body (which had graciously fallen asleep while he was naming Yukine, right on the sidewalk, and he really was hoping no one was watching), closed his eyes, and fell freely back to reconnect his soul with the body. He saw Yukine sulking in the corner of his eye.

“You had a sister,” Father began as he stood up, brushing some dirt off his clothes. “She was 3 years older than you. You two had a cat that you both adored, but your sister took it with her when your parents divorced. Your father wouldn’t let you get another one, so you spent a lot of time befriending stray cats around the neighborhood.” He hoped that this scarp of memory would be enough for Yukine to not pester him with questions for the time being - and perhaps reinforce the thought in Yukine’s head that he was intent on keeping his end of the bargain. Which he was. That was his bargaining chip.

“Come now, Yukine-kun. It’s dark.” Father could still feel the oppressive, choking darkness of that box. His voice was back to its usual tone but he felt vaguely unbalanced, like this night had become radically different in just one fraction of a second. What a horrible way to die.

“Kouto’s - sorry, I mean mine - apartment is not too far from here. You don’t have to worry about the God of Poverty coming back to her place as long as she thinks you’re still there, you know. We have lots to talk about anyway , don’t we, Yukine-kun? You might as well.”

「 祝の器 」

YATO… PLEASE FORGIVE me.

Whether the God would or not, Yukine had to prepare himself for either. Upon being called back, the form of Reiki changed, and the boy was soon standing back where he’d originally been. Yato had told him before, not to give in to his father. But… what was so wrong about this? About wanting to know about himself, or wanting to protect his master? If he didn’t do this, Yato’s lifeline would cease to exist. As Father said… he was vulnerable.

His inner thoughts came to a grinding halt upon taking notice of the body strewn out on the ground, and soon after witnessing Father fall into the body; almost identical to when Hiyori lost hers. “Whoa–you can do that too!?” He exclaimed, just slightly freaked out at the display. It didn’t last long, however; the information he learned afterwards took precedence, and his eyes lit up.

“A sister?” And a cat… but his parents had divorced. “That’s a little saddening.” He admitted, softly. Since he couldn’t remember it himself, he was approaching the news as an outsider. “My dad must have taken that pretty hard. I guess it’s a good thing I stayed with him, then. It must have been lonely.” Despite the news, he smiled. He was happy, to at least get this much.

Meanwhile, Father contemplated Yukine’s past. He very much intended to keep his promise of telling Yukine all about his past - after all, this was the best way to gain his trust, the sharpest tool at his disposal - but how much could he really tell him? What would send him over the edge? He reacted well enough to the knowledge of his parents’ divorce, but there was no knowing how he might react to other dire news. His mother’s and sister’s accident, his father’s alcoholism, the tragedy that wedged an irreplaceable wedge between himself and his father... It was shaky ground, one that Father had to tread extremely lightly if he wanted to keep Yukine intact. It was a good thing he had an acute intuition - it was time to rely on his instincts instead of his conscience.

“Make yourself comfortable, Yukine-kun,” Father said as he closed the apartment door behind him. “Kouto’s dad won’t be home for a while more. He’s out on some business trip, lucky us.”

After making two cups of tea (”Caffeine is bad for kids!”) and setting them down in front of Yukine and himself, there followed a minute of silence. For Yukine it might’ve been an  uncomfortable moment but for Father, it was a contemplative kind of minute. He was weighing his next words carefully.

“I know that this has been a hard decision for you to make, Yukine-kun, but I admire your resolve to protect your master. As a token of my trust in you to carry out your part of the deal, I will also entrust a secret to you...”

“Of course. You and Yaboku will never be apart.” It wasn’t a lie but it sure wasn’t what Yukine had in mind, either. But for now, it would do well enough.

“I knew that you would agree, Yukine-kun. Well then…” He raised his hand.

“…My name is Masumi. Grasping thy true name, I bind thee here With borrowed name, I dub thee my servant. The name answers, the vessel to sound I call thee as my divine instrument. The name, Rei. The vessel, Rei.  Come, Reiki!”

As the 零 name imprinted itself onto Yukine’s upper right arm, fragmented memories flashed through Father’s mind: a mother and a sister in the distance, arms wrapped in bandages, heaps upon heaps of letters, and a father’s slow-building, violent anger that manifested in empty bottles of liquor.

Father would like to consider himself truly impervious to the suffering of humans after centuries and centuries of human tragedy, but the stifling memory of the boy - Toushi Futaraku, that was his name - suffocating with sobs in the tiny, enclosed space under that bridge had shaken him more than he’d like to admit.

For the first time in a very, very long time, he was shocked into silence.

「 祝の器 」

OF COURSE HE knew, deep down, that Yato wouldn’t have agreed to this. And, maybe his own heart disagreed as well. Even knowing that he was doing it for Yato’s sake, a part of him still felt angry at himself for going through with the decision.

Once upon a time, the thought of being a nora scared–even angered him. And, he’d be lying if he said that those feelings had completely gone away. But… he had to admit, hanging out with Nora had dulled his own anxieties for Yato’s safety, and he needed to get back on track to reuniting with him.

Masumi–?

As Father began reciting the incantation to name him, Yukine’s focus on the unfamiliar name fell away. It was almost like being placed under a trance. The next thing he became aware of was being in Father’s hand, his form having changed. The long, dark staff of a naginata; red, decorative rope bound near the weapon’s blade. Along with it came what appeared as Father’s typical monks’ robes–adorned with an orange kashaya draped over one of the robes’ sleeves to wrap around it.

After numbness, came a muted sense of grief. He’d been sure of his decision, but it had still been a difficult choice to make. He knew that somewhere, a new name had been etched into his skin. Just that much was enough to unsettle him. No… he couldn’t let this decision control his emotions. He… he had to be strong. For Yato’s sake. But how could he, when the small voice inside of his subconscious told him, this was not becoming of a blessed vessel?

Father had been unusually silent up to this point, and Yukine had to wonder why. From the recesses of the spiritual void, the regalia spoke–his voice carrying a note of petulance.

“Of course I saw them. Revert, Reiki.” Father walked around to the foot of Kouto’s body (which had graciously fallen asleep while he was naming Yukine, right on the sidewalk, and he really was hoping no one was watching), closed his eyes, and fell freely back to reconnect his soul with the body. He saw Yukine sulking in the corner of his eye.

“You had a sister,” Father began as he stood up, brushing some dirt off his clothes. “She was 3 years older than you. You two had a cat that you both adored, but your sister took it with her when your parents divorced. Your father wouldn’t let you get another one, so you spent a lot of time befriending stray cats around the neighborhood.” He hoped that this scarp of memory would be enough for Yukine to not pester him with questions for the time being - and perhaps reinforce the thought in Yukine’s head that he was intent on keeping his end of the bargain. Which he was. That was his bargaining chip.

“Come now, Yukine-kun. It’s dark.” Father could still feel the oppressive, choking darkness of that box. His voice was back to its usual tone but he felt vaguely unbalanced, like this night had become radically different in just one fraction of a second. What a horrible way to die.

Though Yukine’s voice might have been unfaltering, Father could practically see his trust for Yaboku teetering on the edge of a blade. There were just too many things that his foolish son withheld, always telling himself it was for the best… far too many for a kid as smart as Yukine to chalk up to coincidence or goodwill in his interest or that he had a “reason.” The benefit of the doubt always has its limits.

Just one more push could send it falling over the edge, a bond irreparably broken, but that could wait a little while longer. There were much more pressing matters at hand now.

“There is a reason that shinki don’t think about their past life, Yukine-kun. But…”

It was time for the sword to come swinging down.

“…When a master gives a shinki their name, they see their memories. Where they were born, their family and their friends, what kind of life they lived, how they died.”

“Think about it, Yukine-kun! I am Yaboku’s lifeline, and if he really is going Daddy Hunting… well, without Mizuchi, I might as well be a sitting duck. And you want to know about your life before becoming a shinki.. You know what I’m saying, don’t you?” This was an offer one could not refuse.

“In exchange for a name and your protection, I will tell you everything you could possibly ever want to know about yourself. You want to protect Yaboku, so… protect him with your life and your name.”

「 祝の器 」

“THERE IS?” So, he wasn’t purely ignorant for never having thought about it before, then? As he was about to press on the matter further, Father said something that caused him to veer away from the topic.

Masters saw their shinki’s memories… when they named them?

So, Yato had seen everything that night. He’d carried his past around with him, and had never said a thing. It did anger him, a little. Mostly because, he didn’t know what reason Yato had not to tell him.

As Father continued, a rush of adrenaline suddenly overcame the youth. This was it… the closest he would get, to finding answers. And, the guy was right, after all; to protect Yato, he had to protect his lifeline. “I…” He hesitated, but only a little. He’d never wanted to become a stray.

But… was it really that bad, to deviate, in this situation? He was doing it to protect Yato–not to be disloyal. His main priority was still Yato’s life. One had came from his pockets, lifting to hover over the name present on his collarbone. “I’d be doing it to protect Yato,” he reaffirmed, mostly to himself, “but… also to learn about myself. I–I don’t know, maybe I’m being selfish, but…”

His hand fell. This wasn’t a trap. The sorcerer just wanted to keep Yato from harm, the same as he did. Maybe they had different ideas of how to go about it, but the end goal was still the same.

“I knew that you would agree, Yukine-kun. Well then...” He raised his hand.

“...My name is Masumi. Grasping thy true name, I bind thee here With borrowed name, I dub thee my servant. The name answers, the vessel to sound I call thee as my divine instrument. The name, Rei. The vessel, Rei.  Come, Reiki!”

As the 零 name imprinted itself onto Yukine’s upper right arm, fragmented memories flashed through Father’s mind: a mother and a sister in the distance, arms wrapped in bandages, heaps upon heaps of letters, and a father’s slow-building, violent anger that manifested in empty bottles of liquor.

Father would like to consider himself truly impervious to the suffering of humans after centuries and centuries of human tragedy, but the stifling memory of the boy - Toushi Futaraku, that was his name - suffocating with sobs in the tiny, enclosed space under that bridge had shaken him more than he’d like to admit.

Father chuckled. Leave it up to Yukine to be so straightforward… “It’s not flattery, Yukine-kun. Just the truth. But I think you’ve got much bigger lies to deal with than whether I’m flattering you or not… don’t you think?”

He wasn’t surprised in the least that Yaboku would make up such a story. It was a convincing enough excuse to a shinki who would have no knowledge of such a taboo topic, but lies always had the shortest legs on which to run on. It had unfortunately (or perhaps, fortunately, but not for poor Yaboku) caught up with the truth of the matter now… and at the most perfect moment, no less.

“The God’s Greatest Secret doesn’t pertain to the master’s roots, but to the shinki’s. If Yaboku lied to you about such a thing, what else might he have lied to you about? I hear he hasn’t even told you about his own name until Hiyori-chan guessed it when she called Yaboku back from Yomi.”

It wasn’t a lie - if Father had to guess, Yaboku was out with a new shinki far away, the fact of which Yaboku did not tell Yukine. He would not risk his precious hafuri’s life in a fight against him, that much Father already knew.

But he didn’t have to tell Yukine that speculation right then and there. It wasn’t necessary… yet.

“It’s only natural that you want to know about yourself.”

「 祝の器 」

WHAT WAS HE talking about? Brows furrowed in confusion, but realization soon dawned as he started speaking about the possibility of everything else that Yato had lied about. “I… I know he may have lied about some things, or kept stuff from me.” Hands still firmly settled inside his pockets, he grasped at the charm that he had tucked away there for safe-keeping.

“But I have to look at why. It couldn’t have always been because he didn’t trust me. I’ve done nothing but do well for him, a-and guide him in what I think is the right direction. I want to believe that he’d have a good reason not to tell me about something.” Even saying that though, it was clear that it frustrated him.

Just one more push could send it falling over the edge, a bond irreparably broken, but that could wait a little while longer. There were much more pressing matters at hand now.

“There is a reason that shinki don’t think about their past life, Yukine-kun. But...”

It was time for the sword to come swinging down.

“...When a master gives a shinki their name, they see their memories. Where they were born, their family and their friends, what kind of life they lived, how they died.”

“Think about it, Yukine-kun! I am Yaboku’s lifeline, and if he really is going Daddy Hunting... well, without Mizuchi, I might as well be a sitting duck. And you want to know about your life before becoming a shinki.. You know what I’m saying, don’t you?” This was an offer one could not refuse.

Chapter 27: Do and Due

(Click for better quality)

“Yukine-kun!”

On the list of individuals Father expected to see that night, Yukine would probably be one of the last individuals on it. It’s true they’ve talked only a short while ago (really, he had to pat himself on the back - his words had been true but his little remark about Mizuchi’s death was very intentional), yet he hadn’t expected that Yukine would come crawling back so soon. Father was used to things taking time, after all, but everything seemed to be happening in rapid succession lately.

Our masters… they know about our pasts, don’t they? Yes, there it was - the question he wanted to hear.

“Congratulations, Yukine-kun - you’ve figured it out. It was only a matter of time, for a shinki as perceptive and honest as you. I knew that you could do it.“

「 祝の器 」

SO HE WAS right, after all. “Cut the crap. Flattery won’t sway me.” He shot back, his voice even. “Okay, so they know–so why do they go so far to hide it? I asked him, once. He… shouted, demanded to know who told me. He told me that the secret pertained to the roots of the master. Maybe I should have known better, but I didn’t have any reason to question him.” He frowned, almost puzzled at the memory.

Then, he squared his shoulders. “I want to find my family. I want to see them. I don’t know what happened to me, but in death, I left them behind. I just want to make sure they’re well.” Maybe it seemed silly.

He wasn’t surprised in the least that Yaboku would make up such a story. It was a convincing enough excuse to a shinki who would have no knowledge of such a taboo topic, but lies always had the shortest legs on which to run on. It had unfortunately (or perhaps, fortunately, but not for poor Yaboku) caught up with the truth of the matter now... and at the most perfect moment, no less.

“The God’s Greatest Secret doesn’t pertain to the master’s roots, but to the shinki’s. If Yaboku lied to you about such a thing, what else might he have lied to you about? I hear he hasn’t even told you about his own name until Hiyori-chan guessed it when she called Yaboku back from Yomi.”

It wasn’t a lie - if Father had to guess, Yaboku was out with a new shinki far away, the fact of which Yaboku did not tell Yukine. He would not risk his precious hafuri’s life in a fight against him, that much Father already knew.

But he didn’t have to tell Yukine that speculation right then and there. It wasn’t necessary... yet.

starter for @hafuriyuki. you know we had to do it to him

Until a certain moment, that night had been the most ordinary night Father could have imagined.

No scheming, no planning, no summoning ayakashi - it was almost as if he were really a normal teenager, just going out for a jog in the evening. The keyword: almost.

The evening December air was sharp and crisp, the kind that stung the skin on your face when you were out too long. It was refreshing, though, the mundane normalcy of everything, with no meddling in celestial affairs that Father had to trouble himself with. Just him and himself, only.

He didn’t notice, however, the figure standing by the playground, shrouded in darkness and waiting for him.

「 祝の器 」

NOT EVEN YUKINE knew exactly what he was setting out to accomplish. But while standing to the side of the playground equipment, the very person he’d hoped to see came jogging up the walkway. It was his only lead, and… for Yato’s sake, he needed to do this. But maybe it was a little selfish that it was for himself, as well. The boy stood unnoticed, just as he usually happened to be.

Nothing but a shadow, cast by the dormant memory of who he used to be.

On the list of individuals Father expected to see that night, Yukine would probably be one of the last individuals on it. It’s true they’ve talked only a short while ago (really, he had to pat himself on the back - his words had been true but his little remark about Mizuchi’s death was very intentional), yet he hadn’t expected that Yukine would come crawling back so soon. Father was used to things taking time, after all, but everything seemed to be happening in rapid succession lately.

Our masters… they know about our pasts, don’t they? Yes, there it was - the question he wanted to hear.

❤️- A happy memory that makes them smile

💙- A sad memory that makes them cry

💛- A memory that makes them feel angry

💚- A memory that makes them feel guilty

💜- A memory about one of their loved ones, happy or sad

💔- A memory that leaves them feeling lonely

❣- A memory that leaves them laughing

💕- A memory about their significant other

💞- A memory about their children

💓- A memory about their friends

💗- A memory about a good deed they did

💖- A memory that made them feel special

💝- A memory that made them feel loved

💘- A memory that gets their heart pounding

mewssings: